Target apparatus



July 13," 4 s.v w. FRAZKER "ET AL TARGET APPARATUS Filed April 3, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 13, 1943 TARGET APPARATUS Sherman W. Frazier and James B. Hendrix, Washington, D. 0.

Application April 3, 1941, Serial No. 386,736

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in target apparatus for use in rifle ranges and the like and more particularly to improved apparatus for moving a target to and from a target station.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an efiicient, manually operated target carrier apparatus wherein the target may be quickly and easily propelled back and forth between spaced apart firing and target stations by means of a simple lever action controlled by an operator at the firing station.

A further object of the invention is to provide a target apparatus wherein the target carrier is supported upon a pair of track wires, with means for spreading the track wires to cause travel of the carrier therealong.

A further object resides in the novel construction of the track actuating levers, together with the means for releasably retaining the carrier in a steady position at opposite ends of the track wires.

A still further object is to provide apparatus of this character which may be economically constructed and which will require but little exertion upon the part of the operator.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following de tailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a View in elevation of the target apparatus.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section thru the apparatus at the sending or firing station.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section thru the apparatus at the target station.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section substantially on line 55 of Figure 4-.

Figure 6 is an end View of one of the buffer members for the track levers.

Figure 7 is an enlarged elevation of the target suspending arm.

Referring to the drawings in detail and wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views, the letter A may generally designate the control or firing station, E the target station, and C a car rier movable along track wires to positions at rest at either of the stations A or B.

The stations A and B may be spaced any suitable distance apart and in the example shown the track actuating levers it} and it of the stations A and B respectively, are mounted upon horizontal stationary supports or cross beams l3 carried by uprights It. If preferred however the horizontal supports l3 may be suspended from suitable hangers.

The levers iii and I2 are substantially duplicates and are preferably formed from sheet metal into channel or U-shaped cross section forming a web l5 and parallel side flanges 15. Suitably mounted upon each stationary support It is a bracket ll embodying spaced apart bearing plates 53 between which the track actuating levers are pivotally mounted as upon horizontal pivot bearings it which extend parallel to the supports l3. These bearing plates l8 extend downward from the supports it at an angle of 45 to the vertical as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4. The levers H3 and [2 are pivoted midway of their ends and are mounted upon their respective supports to swing in the same vertical plane from a horizontal into a vertical position.

Each track actuating lever ill and i2 is pro vided at its forward end with a combined shock absorbing and latch means 2% which act to relieve the impact of the carrier C and also retain the carrier in releasable engagement with the actuating lever. Each shock absorbing and latch means 25) embodies a buffer bar 2! reciprocally guided in the channel shaped actuating lever with a portion of the bar extending beyond the lever and having at its outer end a downturned right angular stop arm 22 which is formed with a longitudinal slot 23 opening at the free end of the stop arm. The open end of the slot 23 is flared as shown in Figure 6, and extends substantially thruout the entire length of the stop arm. The buffer bar 2! is guided in the actuating lever by means of suitable guide pins 24 and 24', and the inner end of the bar is bent at right angle to form an abutment 25 which engages the pin 24 and limits outward movement of the buffer bar. Suitably mounted between the flanges [5 of the actuating lever is a channel member 26 forming a housing for a plunger 21 which is normally urged against the abutment 25 by means of a coil spring 23. Thus the spring urged plunger 2'! normally urges the buifer bar 2! outwardly and permits inward yielding of the bar when the stop arm 22 is engaged by the carrier C.

Secured to and projecting forwardly from the intermediate portion of each stop arm 22 is a pair of spaced apart spring strips or fingers 30 which extend at a right angle to the stop arms and are yieldable toward and away from one another. Mounted upon the outer free end of each spring strip 30 is a latch or retaining member 31 each having a right angular portion 32 and which portions are directed toward one another and form rearwardly facing shoulders. Extend ing in flaring relation from the inner ends of the shoulder portions 32 are guide lips 33 for guiding the carrier C between the spring fingers 38 as clearly shown in Figure 5.

Operatively connected between the actuating levers ID and I2 is a pair of vertically spaced apart upper and lower track wires or cables 34 and 35 respectively and upon which the carrier C is adapted to travel between the stations A and B upon reversing the positions of the actuating levers.

The track wires 34 and 35 are connected at one end to opposite ends of the actuating lever I2 by means of removable attaching pins 35 mounted in keyhole slots 3! provided in the side flanges N of the lever. As shown in Figure 5, these pins 36 have a circumferential groove 38 midway of their ends for receiving the track wires, and a circumferential groove 39 adjacent each end for receiving the narrow neck portions of the keyhole slots 3?. The pins 35 are spaced equidistant at opposite sides of the pivot pin 19 of the lever l2 with the track wires extending from the channeled side of the lever.

The opposite ends of the track wires 34 and 35 are adjustably connected to opposite ends of the actuating lever I9 by a turn buckle arrangement permitting proper tensioning and take-up on the track wires. Pivoted between the side flanges [6 of the lever ID, at points adjacent the ends thereof, are U-shaped coupling members 40 having their pivotal points of connection spaced equidistant to opposite sides of the pivot I9 of the lever. Rotatable in the crotch of each coupling member 40 is a flanged nut 4| adapted to receive the threaded shank of an eye bolt 42. The track wires 34 and 35 are connected one to each of the eye bolts 42 with the track wires ex tending from the channeled side of the lever.

Referring now to the carrier C, the same comprises a fiat, substantially square shaped frame 45 embodying a companion pair of like side plates 46 between which the track wires 34 and 35 may pass. Each corner portion of each side plate 46 is pressed outwardly as at 4'! to form confronting circular depressions 48 in which are mounted four grooved track wheels 5!] as upon pivots 5|. These pivots 5! which may be bolts, rivets or the like may also serve to secure the side plates 46 together with the side plates slightly spaced apart to permit passage of the track wires therebetween. Secured between the side plates 46 at each vertical end of the carrier frame 45 is a bumper strip 52 of rubber or similar yieldable material which extends beyond the end of the frame, These bumper strips 52 are adapted to engage the stop arms 22 and relieve any shock, as well as reduce noise which would be caused thru engagement of the metal carrier frame with the stop arm. Projecting outwardly in alignment with one another from each of the side plates 46 is a lug 54, and these lugs are spaced at the vertical center line of the carrier frame and slightly above the horizontal center line of the carrier frame as will be seen in Figure 4.

Secured between the lower portions of the carrier side plates 46 is a depending arm or rod 55 which is provided at its lower end with a suitable spring clip or clamp 56 for detachably holding a paper or any other desired target 58 in suspended position from the carrier C.

As will be seen in Figures 2 and 4, the track wires 34 and 35 operate between the upper and lower pairs of track wheels 50, whereby upon spreading of the track wires the carrier will be moved quickly along the track wires.

The track actuating lever l0, forming the control lever, is provided at its rear end with a handle 60 which may be grasped by the operator for swinging the control lever to impart travel to the target carrier.

In operating the appaartus, when the carrier is at the control or firing station A, the lever 10 is in a horizontal position while the lever l2 at the target station B is in a vertical position whereby the track Wires extend in diverging relation from the station A to the station B. The carrier C is held at the firing station thru engagement of the latch members 3| with the lugs 54 on the carrier. The operator grasps the handle 69 and swings the rear end of the lever 10 downward, thus raising the latch members 3| of the lever H3 free of the lugs 54 and the carrier. The track wires then spread apart behind the carrier as the lever l0 moves to a vertical position, while the track wires ahead of the carrier will move toward one another as the lever l 2 is being swung by the track Wires to a horizontal position. Thus the carrier will be moved quickly along the track wires to the target station where the carrier will be held thru engagement of the spring urged latch members 3| with the lugs 54 on the carrier. Travel of the carrier will be arrested thru engagement of the carrier with the shock absorbing means 29. The lugs 54 thru engagement behind the shoulders 32 of the latch members 3| will also prevent the carrier from rebounding from the station. To return the target to the firing station, the operator merely swings the lever l0 back to a horizontal position, thus causing the track wires to converge toward the firing station. Thus a single swinging movement of the control lever l0 thru an arc of acts to move the target carrier from one station to the other.

When the target carrier is latched in place at either the firing station as in Figure 2 or at the target station as in Figure 4, the track wires 34 and 35 both extend thru the slot 23 in the stop arm 22 so that the carrier is held against lateral swinging and in a steady position for the marksman.

Changes in detail may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described with out departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims,

We claim:

1. In a target apparatus, a firing station, and a target station, a vertically swinging lever at each station, a pair of track wires connecting like ends of the levers to extend in diverging relation from one lever to the other upon swinging of the levers, a carrier movable along the track wires, and buffer means on each lever and each buffer means embodying a slotted stop arm embracing the track wires when the carrier engages the stop arm for preventing lateral swaying of the carrier.

2. In target apparatus, the combination of a firing station including a vertically swinging control lever, a target station remotely spaced from said firing station and including a vertically swinging actuating lever, a pair of track wires connecting the ends of said levers whereby when the control lever is in an upright position, the companion lever is in a horizontal position with the track wires in converging relation from the firing station toward the target station, and vice versa, a target carrier movable along said track wires thru spreading movement of the same responsive to movement of said control lever, and a forked stop arm carried by the actuating lever of the target station, for engaging relation with the carriage and embracing both of said track wires, when the actuating lever is in a horizontal position, to prevent sidewise movement of said wires and swaying of said carriage at the target station.

3. In target apparatus, the combination of a firing station including a vertically swinging control lever, a target station remotely spaced from said firing station, and including a vertically swinging actuating lever, a pair of track wires connecting the ends of said levers whereby when the control lever is in an upright position, the companion lever is in a horizontal position, with the track wires in converging relation from the firing station toward the target station and vice versa, a target carrier movable along said track wires thru spreading movement of said track wires responsive to movement of said control lever, said carrier provided with outstanding lugs at its sides, a forked stop arm carried by the actuating lever of the target station, for engag- 3 ing relation with the carriage and embracing both of said track wires, when the actuating lever is in a horizontal position to prevent sidewise movement of said wires and swaying of said carriage at the target station, and a spring finger carried by each of the projections of said forked stop arm, said spring fingers embracing the carriage, when it is at the firing station, and provided with shoulders for engaging said lugs of the carriage to restrain it from rebound from said stop arm.

4. In target apparatus, the combination of a firing station including a vertically swinging control lever, a target station remotely spaced from said firing station, and including a vertically swinging actuating lever, a pair of track wires connecting the ends of said levers whereby when the control lever is in an upright position, the companion lever is in a horizontal position, with the track wires in converging relation from the f firing station toward the target station and vice versa, a target carrier movable along said track wires thru spreading movement thereof responsive to movement of said control lever, and a forked stop arm carried by each of said control lever and actuating lever for engaging relation with the carriage and embracing both of said track wires, when its respective carrying lever is in a horizontal position to prevent sidewise movement of said wires and swaying of said carriage when at the station where the horizontally disposed lever is located.

5. In target apparatus, the combination of a firing station including a vertically swinging control lever, a target station remotely spaced from said firing station, and including a vertically swinging actuating lever, a pair of track wires connecting the ends of said levers whereby, when the control lever is in an upright position, the companion lever is in a horizontal position, with the track wires in converging relation from the firing station toward the target station and vice versa, a target carrier movable along said track wires thru spreading movement thereof responsive to movement of said control lever, said carrier provided with outstanding lugs located midway of the length of each of its sides, a forked stop arm carried by each said control lever and actuating lever for engaging relation with the carriage and embracing both of said track wires, when its respective carrying lever is in a horizontal position to prevent sidewise movement of said wires and swaying of said carriage when at the station where the horizontally disposed lever is located, and a spring finger car ried by each of the projections of each of said forked stop arms, said spring fingers embracing the carriage when it is adjacent the lever in horizontal position, and provided with shoulders for engaging said lugs of the carriage to restrain it from rebound from the stop arms.

6. In target apparatus, the combination of two track wires, a track actuating lever for spreading said wires, including a channel-shaped lever body having a web and side flanges, means for pivotally mounting said lever body midway of its ends, means for pivotally attaching one of said track wires to one end and the other of said track wires to the other end of the lever body in the channel thereof, and a combined shock absorbing and latch means at one end of the lever body, movably supported in and extending from the channel of said lever body and including a spring cushion bufier bar having a right angular stop arm at its outer end, and yieldable latch mem-- bers projecting from the stop arm for latching engagement with a target carrier when engaging the stop arm.

7. In target apparatus, the combination of two track wires, a track actuating lever for spreading said wires, including a channel-shaped lever body having a web and side flanges, means for pivotally mounting the lever body midway of its ends, means for pivotally attaching one of said track wires to one end and the other of said track wires to the other end of the lever body in the channel thereof, a carriage movable along said track wires responsive to movement of said actuating lever, and a shock absorbing means at one end of said lever body movably supported in and extending from the channel thereof, said shock absorbing means for engagement with said carriage when moved toward said lever by the spreading track wires.

SHERMAN W. FRAZIER. JAMES B. HENDRIX. 

